Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128371
Villopoto Dominates Texas GNC Final Ryan Villopoto came away with six class championships at the FMF GN International Final in Texa Briefly... E xtreme Team Green's Ryan Villopoto of Paulsbo, Washington, left his mark at Oak Hill Motocross Park, March 24-25, by taking six championship titles at the 29th annual FMF GNC International Final, presented by Answer, Pro Taper and MSR. Villopoto staked his claim in the 125cc Stock, Modified and Open Intermediate classes and then added victories in the 2S0cc Stock and Modified, and 250cc Four-Stroke Non-Pro Modified classes, taking 10 out of 12 mota wins along the way. "I love the long motos," Villopoto said from the podium. "I've been training real hard, and ~ paid off for me here at the GNC." This was the inaugural running of the GNC, not only at the Oak Hill facility, but under its new ownership as well. Former Team Green Amateur manager and now co-owner/promoter of Oak Hill Craig Martin and his staff put on an outstanding show throughout the week that offered 20-minute motas to all Amateur classes and 30-minute motos for the Pros. With the onslaught of the four-strokes, the class structure included seven new classes, from a 0-1 10cc Four-Stroke Auto Clutch class to a 450cc Non-Pro Modified class. Suzuki dominated the Pro ranks, with Michigan's Josh Lichtle winning both the I25cc A Modified and A Pro Modified classes, and Jason Lawrence of New Jersey taking the overall wins in the 250cc A Modified and A Pro Modified classes. Suzuki's Nico 12zi from Michigan was runner-up to Villopoto in the overall win department, staking his three in the 85cc (14-15) Modified, Supermini and 85cc Open. California, once again, claimed the Lafferty Back on Top in Georgia Six-time AMA National Enduro Champion nabbed his first win of the season after taking top honors at the Cherokee National Enduro in Georgia on March 25. After struggling in the first two rounds in California and Arizona, the factory KTM rider put it all together to take a solid win, dropping 22 points over the 26 dropped by runner-up Russell Bobbitt, also on a KTM. Stephen Edmondson made it a KTM sweep by finishing third with 27 points on his scorecard. "This win made up for my early-round finishes," Lafferty said. Fourth overall went to defending champ recorded his second win of the year on the whooped-out Crazy Horse Campgrounds circuit in Lake Havasu City. Arizona, on March 25. In doing so, the Montclair Yamaha/Zip-Ty Racing-backed rider became the first repeat winner of the season and, more importantly, has taken over the number-one spot in the series points race. Woods spent much of the race leading the way after getting off to a so-so start. It was Woods second victory at the Havasu venue. The 'fZ250-mounted Woods said, "I love Havasu. I like the track. It's really demanding and brutal on the body, but to be honest with you, I'm not that tired right now. I'm really not." followed by Washington with six and Michigan with five. Kawasaki cleaned up with 16 wins, while Suzuki sat in the co- pilot seat with 13. Honda had nine, while KTM cornered the 65c( classes, winning every title up for grabs in that category and adding one for the 50cc column for a total of six. Cobra collected four, while Yamaha had to settle for two. The event, however, was marred by the death of 14-year-old Bryson Edward Watson. Watson succumbed to injuries following a crash on Friday, March 18. Kat Spann z '" i' Randy Hawkins on the Am Pro Yamaha, followed by KTM rider David Lykke. Sixth went to Kawasaki rider Steve Hatch. Lafferty took over the series points lead from Honda rider Matt Stavish, who finished 10th. Lafferty now sits atop the leaderboard with 67 points, followed by Hatch with 63. Stavish dropped back to third with 61 points. Mike Lafferty returned to his winning ways at the Cherokee National Enduro in Georgia. Woods "Whoops 'em" at Havasu WOReS Defending World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) Champion Nathan Woods most titles with nine among the 50 up for grabs. Florida came in second with seven, Neither was runner-up Tim Wiegand, who made his return to the series aboard his CRF250R a very successful one. He stayed with the lead group the entire race but couldn't chip away at Woods' lead, finishing about a minute and a half back and I7 seconds in front of third-place Mike Kiedrowski aboard the Suzuki RM-Z450. Early leader Russell Pearson ended up third on his YZ450F after crashing twice, while motocrosser Bobby Garrison claimed fifth on his CRF450R. KTM's Kurt Caselli, the points leader going into the race, ended up seventh after a broken pipe slowed him down. Caselli now traiis Woods in the points standings, 88-76. Pearson is third with 68. Mark Kariya >z z w '"> Ol ~ :I: a. The schedule for the 2005 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, has been released. The MotoGP will start at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 10. with live television coverage on Speed Channel. The weekend officially begins on Friday, July 8 at 8:30 a.m. with a one-hour practice session for the AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship. That will be followed by MotoGP practice at 10 a.m. - the first of two onehour MotoGP Friday practice sessions. Friday also features practice sessions for the AMA:s Superbike Championship and Repsol Superstock Series, as well as the Superstars of Super Karts, featuring former World Champions Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz competing in 250ccpowered racing karts with semi-enclosed bodywork and rear wings. The MotoGP field takes to the track twice again on Saturday, beginning with the third one-hour practice session of the weekend on Saturday at 10 a.m. Qualifying for 5unday's race takes place from 2-3 p.m. Also on Saturday are qualifying for AMA Repsol Superstock Series and AMA Superbike Championship. Saturday concludes with two races - the Superstars of Super Karts at 3:55 p.m., followed by round I I of the AMA Superbike Championship, a 28-lap race starting at 4:35 p.m. Sunday's MotoGP race will be preceded by the AMA Repsol Superstock Series contest at II :30 a.m. and followed by the fifth and final race of the weekend, the AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship race, at 3: 15 p.m. Tickets to the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix are on sale now at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca office or by calling 800/ 327-SECA or 831/648-511 I, or by logging on to tkketmaster.com or laguna-seca.com. Less than one year after it was announced that the size of MataGP engines would be cut to 900cc from 2007, it seems likely that the rule will be changed to dictate a maximum of 800cc instead. HRC had always advocated that size, believing that dropping from 990 to 900 would make little difference in the goal of preventing continual increases in performance. They were overruled by fellow members of the manufacturers' association, the MSMA, but didn't give up. Now it is understood they have gained the support of Yamaha, with Suzuki likely to fall into line. Kawasaki's MotoGP team has pushed forward the introduction of its all-new Big Bang engine for the first race - although basic technical details are still to be finalized. At the recent MotoGP tests at Catalunya, the fast-forward program meant there were two differently timed "big-bang" machines, available to Shinya Nakano and test rider Kazuki ShimiZU, with Nakano saying after the first day of testing, '" prefer the earlier version." This will be the version used for the early races. "The engine is the right direction, but it's obvious we still have more work to do, especially on corner entry stability and with the engine braking system," Nakano said. Second regular rider Alex Hofmann had to wait until the final day to try Continued on page " CYCLE NEWS • MARCH 30, 2005 9